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Calcimator

Cheese Brine Solution Calculator

Calculate salt and water amounts for cheese brining at your target concentration.

Inputs

%
gallons
°F

Results

Salt Needed

4.7 lbs

≈ 19 sticks of butter

Salt7.8 cups (kosher)
Salt75.2 oz
Water2 gallons
White Vinegar (pH adjust)2 tsp
Calcium Chloride2 tbsp
Temp Warning0
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Set the target brine salt percentage (typically 18–23% for hard cheeses).
  2. Enter total brine volume needed in gallons.
  3. Set brine temperature (colder brine absorbs more slowly).
  4. The calculator returns salt in lbs, cups, and oz; water volume; and optional vinegar and calcium chloride to stabilize the brine.
  5. Mix salt into water until fully dissolved and chill to target temperature before submerging cheese.

How the result changes with Target Brine Percentage

Target Brine PercentageSalt Needed
7.11.27 lbs
122.27 lbs
193.91 lbs
245.27 lbs

What each input means

Target Brine Percentage
Salt concentration by weight. Standard cheese brine is 20-23%. Saturated brine is ~26%. Feta uses 8-10%.
Total Brine Volume
Total volume of brine to prepare in gallons. Allow enough to fully submerge the cheese.
Brine Temperature
Target brine temperature. Keep at 50-55°F for most cheeses. Too warm causes uneven salt absorption.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    Target Brine Percentage = 22, Total Brine Volume = 2, Brine Temperature = 50 = 3 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Salt Needed
    Salt Needed
    4.7 = 4.7
  3. Calculate Salt
    Salt
    7.8 = 7.8
  4. Calculate Salt
    Salt
    75.2 = 75.2

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